Reviewing 'Lady Bird': Why It is the Most Beautiful Movie I've Ever Seen
When a movie begins with the A24 title screen, I just know it’s going to be good. And ‘Lady Bird’ was no exception. The movie centers around Lady Bird, or Christine McPherson, and her senior year in high school. The central conflict follows Lady Bird and her mother as they battle over identity, feminity, love, success, and self-control.
I tend to love ‘slice of life’ movies because they are often relatable and easy to follow. But what carries these types of movies are the characters and the cinematography. From the beginning, it’s clear that Lady Bird is a strong and quite interesting character who doesn’t understand much behind her actions but defends them anyways. It is her simultaneously decisive and uncertain nature that fuels the plotline, along with her complicated relationship with her mother-- which is a reflection of her conflicts with herself. The people in Lady Bird’s life present their own complex personalities, all which draw the viewer in more. What I found particularly interesting was how different she appeared from those closest to her but how similar she ended up being to them. This captured my attention as it becomes clear that the characters share many of the same fears, insecurities, and desires. What tied it all together was that a different side of Lady Bird was apparent with each of them. By viewing her in relation to other characters, the viewer is able to know her more and can allow the plot to depend on her.
The intimacy of scenes was also carefully crafted, and ultimately made the movie incredibly interesting. The main conflict between Lady Bird and her mother is so private at times, with each of them constantly attacking the other’s personality, followed by scenes of true mother-daughter love. Part of their harsh conflict arises because her mother is trying to raise her right while trying to keep their family together. Their arguments, unpredictable in nature, evoke to viewer’s interest while making them feel like they should turn around and close their ears. This carries over into Lady Bird’s love life, most of which is either magical or uncannily awkward. The realistic intimacy between characters makes you feel as though you shouldn’t be even watching; like you are intruding on something special.
The cinematography also amazed me. The movie easily encaptures the early 2000s and it’s utter normalcy. Yet, there’s a certain charm to Lady Bird’s life which translates visually. Even the most mundane interactions suddenly carry beautiful weight and make the viewer feel like real-life could very well be a movie as well.
The movie overall promotes a unique idea of love and self- acceptance. Although the film essentially follows the average life of a high school senior, it introduces a conversation that viewers can have with themselves. What is love? And what decisions lead us closer and farther away from the kind of love we wish to experience? There’s a beautiful quote which the movie includes: “don’t you think maybe they are the same thing — love and attention?” The viewer can answer that for themselves.